


alone together

by ironccap



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Drunken Confessions, First Kiss, Fluff, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:54:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26645569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironccap/pseuds/ironccap
Summary: “Don’t psychoanalyse me,” Will said, a hint of accusation coloring his tone.“Am I doing that? I thought we were just having conversations,” Hannibal asked.“We are,” Will said. He looked back into his lap, biting on his bottom lip.“You’re nervous,” Hannibal stated. Will looked up, making direct eye contact with Hannibal, who was leaning over towards him. “Are you planning on getting me drunk too?”Or: Will shows up at Hannibal's doorstep in the middle of the night. He isn't sure why. At least, not at first.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 16
Kudos: 175





	alone together

**Author's Note:**

  * For [maleclipse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maleclipse/gifts).



It was two a.m. on a chilly Tuesday night. Will stepped out of his car and slammed the door shut with force. The noise of it falling into its lock sounded too loud through the quiet street, reminding him of the noises he’d heard in his dreams only hours before. 

He’d collapsed on his bed almost immediately after he’d come home from work. It had been an exhausting day on the field and he had decided to get some sleep. However, when he woke up in a cold sweat from yet another nightmare not only one hour later, he realised that there would be no rest for the wicked.

Will rubbed his hands together, aware of the cold air that had made the evening cool down. He crossed the street, a bottle of wine clutched in his hand, and wondered, not for the first time that night, why exactly he was here. 

In his head, there were several motives for his behaviour. For the reason he was here, on Hannibal's doorstep. Some of which sounded ridiculous, even to his own ears. But there were also the ones leaning a lot closer to the truth. _He was lonely. He needed someone to talk to. He needed Hannibal to talk to. He wanted to see him. He missed him._

He stuffed those thoughts back in his mind, finding the territory he was treading into dangerous. After all, he reminded himself, he had been drinking before stepping into his car and driving here. His mind could’ve simply been clouded by the slight buzz of alcohol, and nothing more.

(He had to admit that drinking and driving hadn't been his most responsible choice. But it had been the only way to drive out the nightmares. And the only way to calm his nerves.)

He took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell to the psychiatry. 

It didn’t take long for the door to open, revealing a surprised looking Hannibal on the other side. He’d swapped his trademark suit for a cashmere sweater and dress pants, clearly not expecting anyone visiting him on this late hour of the day.

“Will?” he greeted, although it sounded more like an unspoken question. _What are you doing here?_ However, judging by the genuine smile on his face, Hannibal didn’t seem bothered by his unexpected guest,

“Hello, Hannibal. Uh, Dr. Lecter, I mean,” Will said, mirroring Hannibal’s smile. 

“Hannibal is fine, Will. I’m not your psychiatrist, after all,” Hannibal answered. He stepped away from the door, gesturing for Will to come in. “What brings you here?”

Will stepped inside, walking past Hannibal, into the study. The question seemed so simple, and yet Will didn’t have an answer. He slid a hand through his hair, sweeping it out of his eyes. He felt nervous. 

“I, uh. I don’t know,” he answered, a bit slurred. He expected Hannibal to be annoyed. He was slightly drunk, invading the other’s home for no apparent reason. He expected him to throw Will out. He’d understand it, Hannibal certainly had better things to do. Like sleep, for instance.

None of that happened, though. Hannibal just smiled at him, settling in one of the big chairs in his study. He encouraged Will to take the seat opposite from him. 

“You’re drunk, Will,” he said. “Is there a reason you decided to drink today?”

Will slumped in his seat. He took a deep breath before he spoke again. 

“I think it makes me more capable. Of saying things that I normally wouldn’t.” 

“And what makes you think that’s a good idea? Won’t you regret saying those things when you’re sober again?” Hannibal asked. 

“Maybe. I don’t know. Maybe there’s things I want you to know. Things I would never tell you otherwise,” Will said.

“You’re searching for courage in the bottle,” Hannibal replied. He looked outside into the night, Will followed his gaze. “You’re scared to talk about serious things in the light. You’re scared, because if you’re sober, you’ll start overthinking it.”

“Don’t psychoanalyze me,” Will said, a hint of accusation coloring his tone.

“Am I doing that? I thought we were just having conversations,” Hannibal asked.

“We are,” Will said. He looked back into his lap, biting on his bottom lip. 

“You’re nervous,” Hannibal stated. Will looked up, making direct eye contact with Hannibal, who was leaning over towards him. “Are you planning on getting me drunk too?” 

Will raised his eyebrows, feeling confused for a moment. He followed Hannibal’s gaze, to his hand that was still clutching the bottle of wine. 

“Oh, no. It’s a gift,” he said, a small chuckle escaping his mouth. “For you. For all you’ve done for me. For feeding my dogs when I wasn’t there, when I needed to work on cases.”

He stretched out his hand and gave the bottle to Hannibal, who took it from him, and rose to his feet. 

“You didn’t have to, Will. I don’t mind helping you,” Hannibal said, his eyes earnest. “I’ll get us two glasses.”

Hannibal walked to his kitchen, leaving Will alone in the study for a while. He looked around, his eyes landing on the fireplace, and the two chairs standing in front of it. He stood up and walked over towards it. Three certificates hanging on the wall took up most of the place above the mantel. Medicine, surgery and psychiatry.

“I gave up surgery when I lost a patient. That’s when I decided to dedicate myself fully to psychiatry. I’ve always found the mind to be more interesting than the brain,” Hannibal said, making Will jump. He hadn’t heard him coming, and nearly stumbled over. Hannibal pretended not to notice as he handed him his glass of wine, which Will took in silence.

“Do you miss it?” Will asked after a while.

“Cutting people open?” Hannibal said, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Will rolled his eyes in return.

“Saving lives.”

“I still save lives. Or at least, I hope I do. One conversation might be all someone needs. To realise that they can get through it. To realise that they aren’t alone,” Hannibal answered.

“But some people will always be alone,” Will said, his eyes glossy. He sighed, taking place on the seat behind him. Hannibal took the other one.

“They may think they’re alone. Alone in what they think, how they feel,” Hannibal started. “It doesn’t necessarily mean they are right.” 

Will stared back at Hannibal, feeling his stomach knot together, feeling scared. He wanted to run away, jump out of the window. Wanted to ask Hannibal to just forget their conversation and go home to his dogs. At the same time he wanted to stay, wanted to tell Hannibal what he was feeling. _Needed_ to.

“Will,” Hannibal must have seen his inner conflict. He leaned over to Will’s chair, putting a hand on his thigh reassuringly. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“Then tell me.”

“It’s difficult,” Will said. He took another sip from his glass, feeling the liquid burn slightly in his throat. It gave him courage.

“Take all the time you need, Will,” Hannibal said, his voice soft.

Will stood up from the chair, unsure if he could say what he needed to say while in such proximity from Hannibal. He walked over to the window, staring at a few cars parked on the side of the road, illuminated by the light of the lantern.

“There’s this guy,” he started, his breath hitching in his throat. He coughed once, adjusting his glasses. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. “There’s this guy that I… That I like.”

There, it was out in the open. He was ready for Hannibal to throw him out now, or to be weirded out, at the very least. To treat him like they all did. As if he was a piece of sh—.

“That’s great, Will. And how does he feel about you?” Hannibal asked, his tone neutral. Will turned around in surprise. 

“Wh-, wait. That’s _it_? You’re not… Weirded out?” 

“Should I be?” 

Will closed his eyes, seeing flashes of bloodied fists and broken noses. Feeling the pain again, not only physically, but mentally too. He lifted his shirt absent-mindedly. 

“The last time I told someone, they gave me this gift in return,” he said, his voice trembling. Hannibal stepped closer towards him, taking in the sight of Will’s abdomen, the white scar running along his side. 

"I'm sorry, this is stupid, I shouldn't bother you with th—," he continued, but he got cut off by Hannibal stretching out his hand, making eye contact with Will. An unspoken question hung between them. Will just nodded, suppressing a shiver when Hannibal’s fingers touched his side gently, as if not to hurt him. 

“You’re not the problem, Will. They are. Don’t ever forget that,” Hannibal whispered after a while, still kneeling by his side. He didn't just sound angry. He sounded furious. His warm breath ghosted over Will's skin. This time, Will couldn’t suppress the quiver he felt.

“You don’t think… less of me?” Will asked, hating how vulnerable he felt. How exposed. 

Hannibal detached his fingers from Will’s side, and stood up again. He took a deep breath, seemingly to calm himself down.

“Will. How could I ever think less of you? How could I ever hate you for who you love? There is absolutely nothing wrong with you.”

Will didn’t answer. Couldn’t. He stepped away from Hannibal again. 

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Hannibal said. _How does he feel about you?_

Will’s heart was pounding in his chest, his brain going a million miles an hour, making up sceneries of what would happen. He didn't think the conversation would lead up to this. He had expected the usual rejection and disgust. Not this.

Will could just lie. Could make up some random guy. Could tell Hannibal it didn’t matter, and just leave through the door. He could pretend this hadn’t happened. Hannibal would understand, Will knew that. He would respect it and wouldn’t break Will’s trust. 

Maybe that’s why Will eventually did answer. 

“He doesn’t know.” 

“You should tell him, Will. He’s a lucky guy,” Hannibal answered. His voice was neutral, and yet Will could detect something else coloring the words. If he didn’t know any better, Will would say he sounded nervous.

“I wouldn’t want to ruin the friendship I have with him,” Will admitted, locking eyes with Hannibal. “He probably doesn’t feel the same way.”

“I find that difficult to believe.”

“Why?” Will asked, involuntarily taking a step forward. 

“You’re so smart, interesting, intelligent,” Hannibal said, moving forward. “Beautiful.” 

_What_?

“Don’t say that,” Will said, turning his head away.

“Why not? Does it make you uncomfortable?” Hannibal asked, sounding the most insecure Will had ever heard him. 

“No,” and that was true. It didn’t make him uncomfortable. Far from it. It made his heart flutter and his breathing hitch. “It’s just not true. Don’t say it if you don’t mean it,” Will said, his palms sweaty. What was happening?

“And what if I do mean it?” Hannibal said.

_Oh_?

Will realised he had taken a few steps more, making them now stand closer than they ever had before. Somehow it felt even more intimate than Hannibal touching his scar only moments earlier.

“I don’t know,” Will said, swallowing. He felt so uncertain. He couldn’t possibly begin to believe that Hannibal would be interested in _him_. It all seemed too good to be true. He was overwhelmed, needed air. But mostly, he needed Hannibal. 

“Right. I’m sorry, Will. I shouldn’t have crossed our boundaries like that,” Hannibal said, stepping away from Will again. It was only then that Will realised his previous answer had sounded like a rejection. He watched the man walk away from him, but was quick enough to grab him by his arm. 

“ _No_ , Hannibal, wait,” he said. 

Seemingly taken by surprise, Hannibal turned around, blinking his eyes. He looked at Will questioning.

“I think we crossed each other's boundaries long ago already," Will continued. He crossed the small distance between them, then. There was no hesitation when he put his hand on Hannibal's cheek, caressing it slowly. 

"I think you're right."

"Hannibal." 

Will could feel the tension in the air. It was overwhelming, and he wanted nothing more than to just tear it apart, with a knife if he had to.

"Yes?"

It was the roughness in Hannibal’s voice, combined with the tender look in his eyes, that eventually made Will decide to voice his desire.

" _Kiss me_."

A beat of silence, and then he felt Hannibal pull him even closer. Felt his warm, soft lips colliding with his own. It felt like something in his mind had finally clicked together. Like pieces of a puzzle had fallen right into place. Will kissed back, enjoying the way his body felt against Hannibal’s. The kiss turned heated when Will opened his mouth, licking at Hannibal’s lips, asking for an entrance that was quickly provided by the other man. 

With their mouths and their tongues perfectly in sync, they moved to sit on the couch. Will straddled Hannibal’s lap, letting his hands wander over the other's chest, but making no attempt to take it further. Not just yet. This, this was good. Felt right. It was all Will ever wanted.

Moments later they separated for air, their foreheads resting together. Will’s breathing was heavy and he felt like he was going mad with desire. 

“That was…,” he trailed off. He couldn’t describe it. He slumped against Hannibal, his face resting in the crook of the man’s neck.

“Yeah.”

“We should... do that again,” he said, exhaling slowly.

“We definitely should. But first, you need to rest,” Hannibal answered, caressing Will’s hair softly. “You seem rather tired.”

“‘M not that tired,” Will mumbled, followed by a stifled yawn. So much for credibility, he thought. He heard Hannibal laugh quietly. 

“Sure you aren’t, my dear.”

The name of endearment made Will feel flutters in his stomach again. 

“You’ll regret it in the morning if you keep laying here like this. It’s deadly for your back.”

Hannibal carefully disentangled himself from Will, which earned him an unsatisfied groan. He stood up and stretched out his hand. Will took it to pull himself upright.

He wasn't sure what to do now. Leave? Sleep in his car? Neither of those options sounded like something he wanted to do.

“I can just… Go home, if you want to,” he said after a few seconds, feeling nervous again. 

“Absolutely not. You drank alcohol and you’re tired. Both are risk factors that increase the chances of you getting an accident," Hannibal said, insisting. "Besides, I like you here."

Will couldn't help but smile. _I like me here too, he thought._

“Are you sure?” he asked. 

“Of course I am. Now, let’s go. I’ll prepare my bedroom for you. It has the best mattress. I’ll take the guest room,” Hannibal said, taking Will by his hand and leading him upstairs.

“You don’t have to take the guest room,” Will protested, following behind. _I wouldn’t mind you sleeping next to me._ He didn’t voice it out loud.

“It is not a problem. I want you to be as comfortable as possible, Will. I care about you a lot.”

They’d reached the top of the stairs. Hannibal was about to open the door to his bedroom.

“Is your bed big?” Will asked, much to his own surprise. 

“What?”

“Is it?”

“It is spacious enough, yes,” Hannibal answered, his eyebrows knitting together. Will knew he should stop talking, should just get in the bed and fall asleep alone. But he had been alone for way too long. And Hannibal was right there, looking at him as if he had hung all of the stars and the moon personally. So of course, Will couldn’t stop his mouth from running.

“Would you want to join me?”

“You mean..”

“In the bed, yes.”

“Are you certain?”

“Of sharing a bed?”

“Of this. _Us_.”

That caught Will off guard. He looked at Hannibal’s face, but it was closed off. As if he was scared to show Will how he was feeling.

“Are you?” Will asked.

“One can never be sure of anything, that’s how life is. But you’ve unlocked something in me, Will. Something I had given up long ago.” 

“You let me see you,” Will said. 

"Just like you let me know you,” Hannibal answered. “It’s rare, isn’t it? To give that to someone?”

Will nodded. It was. Opening up had never been easy for him. It took people years to peel away all the different layers of his skin, and then they’d still bounce on a thick wall of disguise in the end. It was different with Hannibal. Will didn’t need to pretend, Hannibal understood him. Just like Will understood Hannibal.

They were the same. Two sides of the same coin.

Both men were alone, but they were alone together.

“But to answer your question, yes. I’d love to join you. Let’s go sleep now,” Hannibal said, ripping Will from his thoughts. He outstretched his hand again and pushed open the door with the other one. 

Besides his shoes, Will didn’t bother to get off any other clothes, and just plopped down on the bed. Hannibal mirrored his actions and they both ended up laying on their sides, face to face. 

Hannibal shuffled a bit closer, making their noses almost touch, and threw his arm around Will. 

“This is nice.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Goodnight, Hannibal.”

“Goodnight, Will.”

Breathing in each other’s scent, they fell asleep. 

That night, Will would have no nightmares. He would finally be at peace, having found his home in the other man’s arms. Right where he belonged. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! this is my first attempt at writing hannigram, and well, it's fluff. please let me know your thoughts! 
> 
> (english is not my native language.)
> 
> i'm looking for new hannibal mutuals to discuss the show, you can find me on [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/hannib4l).


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